Extreme Repurpose – The Making of a Mermaid Chair
I’ve always wanted to turn around in a big chair and say I’ve been expecting you
That wacky idea I had in my head involved a big, oversized back that looks throne-ish and oh-so regal.
Making the Back of the Mermaid Chair
I cut a whole bunch of templates from old cardboard boxes and taped them onto the back until I had the look I was going for. The template was used to create a frame from 1x2s, which was glued and screwed onto the top back portion of the chair.
I used that same cardboard template to cut two back pieces from some plywood. These were stapled onto the frame. That trusty jigsaw of mine made quick work of shaping the frame by cutting away the excess bits, as shown below.
Finishing Off the Mermaid Chair
Now I’ve never reupholstered a whole chair before, so I spent ages looking at videos on youtube, and this one and this one helped a lot. Isn’t technology a wonderful thing?
And I finally understand why people use soooooo many staples when they upholster something. If anyone brings a huge ass magnet within 100 meters of that chair, it will go flying across the room. Guaranteed 😀 Suffice it to say; I finally got her all covered up with the most gorgeous stretchy valour fabric in a sea green, turquoise color.
The only thing the mermaid chair was missing were some legs. As luck would have it, I spotted these lovelies at an online auction on Facebook. I believe they were initially part of a table or something like that. And you know what? I almost lost that auction too. It was nail-biting stuff.
We cleaned them off, sprayed them silver and screwed them onto a piece of wood.
Then the new legs were screwed onto the mermaid chair.
Don’t you just love them? They were such a perfect match for the whole wacky mermaid look I had going on inside my head.
Pssssttt, if you want to see another wacky, one-of-a-kind chair makeover, then you’ve got to see how we made this gorgeous “no drama, llama” chair. You’ll love it 🙂
And here she is in all her glory. So happy with how she turned out.
Remember I mentioned about adding a mermaid surprise on the back of the chair? Tada!!!!
The back has been covered with that freaky cool sequin material that flip-flops and changes color when you run your hands over it.
Imagination is the only weapon against the war on reality
I would love to know what you think of the mermaid chair, and if you like it, don’t forget to pin and share
Oh, before I forget, if you’d like to make something similar, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more unique DIY and craft ideas for you 😉
Until next time, hope you have a beautiful, love-filled week.
Wow, you are really talented to change and makeover a chair! Look out for mites and bed bugs ya, as I had a bad scare last time. Every time I see cushion and stuff, I get that reminder automatically!
Eeeeewww, I would run a mile if I saw bed bugs and mites. Just thinking about it makes me cringe ?
I ABSOLUTELY love the end result. It is also one of my favorite colors. So luxe and chic. You are a magician.
❥ tanvii.com
Awww Tanvi, what a lovely thing to say. Thank you ?
Michelle, I’m blown away by the chair transformation! Just wow!!! The mermaid chair is gorgeous and I bet your daughter loves it.
? Thank you Keri and yes my daughter really likes her new chair. So happy
The makeover is simply amazing Michelle! I’m in awe of your creativity and your skills to actually turn your imagination into something real. I would love a chair like this for myself!
I can sooooo picture you in a mermaid chair Nati ?
Holy crap, are you kidding me, Michelle! Wowsers you got THAT from THAT! Girl, I’ve said it before, you blow me away with your creativity! LOVE this chair and adore the way you styled the photos. Pinned, sharing, telling everyone I know 🙂
That means so much to me Marie. You’re the queen of makeover furniture ?
My goodness! This has to be the most amazing chair makeover I have laid my eyes upon! It is majestic! I love it from tops to bottom – everything you did on it!
? Awwww Maya, thank you so much. I’m really happy you like it
Oh wow this is such a beautiful chair indeed. You did such a great job.
Thanks so much Elizabeth
This is the actual cutest! What a great tutorial. I am going to pin this one for later.
Thanks so much Sarah, glad you like it and thank you for the pin too
Michelle, you are the master at all things DIY! This is so awesome! To take a boring old chair and turn it into something so beautiful is amazing. Those legs are the perfect match! I really like the silver sequins added to the back. I showed Nikki the chair as she loves mermaids & she said she wants it. lol I bet your daughter loved it. Good luck to her on making the swim team!
? Aaww Sam thank you so much. Now if only we stayed closer I would love to make one just for Nikki.
Michelle, I bet your daughter loves her mermaid chair!! I sure would. I love the triangular back, and those legs! They’re gorgeous…perfect for an ethereal mermaid! What the chair was before & what it is now…incredible.
Thank you Florence ? she’s super impressed with how it turned out and I’m really happy too
Outstanding, Michelle!! I love it. Your creativity never ceases to amaze me. I bet your daughter loves it…I would! Can you see me blogging from my mermaid chair? 😉
LOL, actually I can see you Kim, out in that beautiful garden of yours ?
That chair is absolutely beautiful. You make it look so easy. It is a great ideas for a decorative chair in a bedroom or living room. I can even see these in a dining room setting.
Wouldn’t it look just awesome having a whole bunch of them around a dining room table and all things considered it was way easier than I thought, especially since I’ve never tried upholstering something before ?
What a lovely present for your daugther. You are a real upcycling queen! I always like your creations but this is one is probably one of my favourites!;)
? Thank you so much
That is so unique! And that puppy is so darling <3 I definitely need to head to the next page to see what you did next!!! What a fun project!!
She’s the cutest thing ever. Always such a busy body and loves being part of our DIY makes.
Super! What a beautiful chair you-all made. I love the colour and those silver lined legs. I want it!
? So happy you like it Remo
That was a nice mermaid chair. So funny of you to say maybe she was a mermaid before her present life
I’m convinced she is Olayiwola. When it comes to water and my daughter they’re inseparable
I just love this chair makeover and your adorable poochie too! That chair omg…the color!
Poochie still wins hands down in my opinion. She’s the cutest addition to our fur baby family since……….. well the last fur baby we got ?
Congratulations to Talea on her qualification into the Olympics swim team. You must be such a proud mama. I now see why you went above and beyond to make this very special chair for her. She is very deserving of it. And of course it is the perfect gift for her. Michelle you literally took it apart and reconstructed it. Amazing!!!
? She hasn’t qualified yet, but she is giving it her everything. I can’t believe how even when it’s freezing outside, she’s ready and waiting to go train in the pool, and it’s outside and sometimes the heating doesn’t even work. UGH!!!! How does she do that. She is one very special lady ?
Oh my Gooooooooooood!!!! This is a miracle!!! You built a whole new chair!!!! And look at those legs!!! My English are not quite enough to express my enthousiasm!!!! Michelle you are something else my lady 🙂
LOL Christna, you’ve just made my day. Thank you
Oh….. MICHELLE!!! I never knew it, but i NEED a mermaid chair!! Oh, and I’ll have to keep my husband away though because he and his superpower magnets would wreak havoc… LOL
🙂 gwingal
? ? ? And I know my son has one of those super power magnets somewhere too. I’m waiting for the day when he decides to try them out on the chair
Wow, Wow, Wow! This is the perfect mermaid chair, it’s gorgeous! Only you come up with this Michelle! And the back is so cool. My daughter has a few tops with these sequins, they’re so fun. I bet your girl is loving it!!
? My baby girl loves it, sooooo happy how it turned out and I even a bit of that lovely material left to make her a small pillow.